UUUUGGGHHHH!

[Nikki Monroe 71]

I'm so incredible frustrated with the amount of time it is taking my surgeons office to submit my information to my insurance company! Don't tell me you are going to submit on one and you are no were near close to submitting!! I was so upset earlier today it had me in tears!! I just want to get this train moving! I'm trying to be patient and not think about it but when you are ready to have the surgery YOU ARE READY! I felt like going to the office and faxing the damn papers myself! Ugh! Hope this doctor hurries up and give his portion so it can be on its way to be approved!???????????? #Frustrated

[Trinn 139]

I feel ya. I did my last pre-auth hurdle on July 31, but it took them 3 weeks to actually submit the pre-auth claim. I kept being told " We are submitting it today!" and then they didn't -- over and over. What finally got them moving was that I went up the food chain and talked to the insurance management folks who tell the surgery scheduling people that insurance is approved. I explained to them why I was trying to get sleeved before the end of August (doing it before school) and they lit a fire under everyone. In the meantime, I made sure I had done EVERY OTHER thing they asked or were going to ask for, so there wouldn't be any other delays.

[Nikki Monroe 71]

I feel ya. I did my last pre-auth hurdle on July 31, but it took them 3 weeks to actually submit the pre-auth claim. I kept being told " We are submitting it today!" and then they didn't -- over and over. What finally got them moving was that I went up the food chain and talked to the insurance management folks who tell the surgery scheduling people that insurance is approved. I explained to them why I was trying to get sleeved before the end of August (doing it before school) and they lit a fire under everyone. In the meantime, I made sure I had done EVERY OTHER thing they asked or were going to ask for, so there wouldn't be any other delays.

. Yes, EXACTLY!! I am in school as well and wanted to be sleeved the beginning of the school year versus the middle or the end. It seems like as of now, they are waiting on the surgeon to do his part before they can submit to my insurance. How were you able to get the insurance approved before they submitted to the insurance company? I have united healthcare.

[Trinn 139]

I feel ya. I did my last pre-auth hurdle on July 31, but it took them 3 weeks to actually submit the pre-auth claim. I kept being told " We are submitting it today!" and then they didn't -- over and over. What finally got them moving was that I went up the food chain and talked to the insurance management folks who tell the surgery scheduling people that insurance is approved. I explained to them why I was trying to get sleeved before the end of August (doing it before school) and they lit a fire under everyone. In the meantime, I made sure I had done EVERY OTHER thing they asked or were going to ask for, so there wouldn't be any other delays.

. Yes, EXACTLY!! I am in school as well and wanted to be sleeved the beginning of the school year versus the middle or the end. It seems like as of now, they are waiting on the surgeon to do his part before they can submit to my insurance. How were you able to get the insurance approved before they submitted to the insurance company? I have united healthcare.

The insurance company kept telling me that they would approve in 5 days -- that's their policy now -- and that they could work on my timeline if only the surgeon's office would get the pre-auth request filed. The surgeon's office was *sure* it would take 30 days to get approval and would not believe me. Also, my insurer changed their requirements in July -- they went from a long list of requirements and a 6 month supervised diet to basically a statement that they trust the surgeon's judgement. My doctor's office didn't believe that. So, I didn't get the insurance approved before the surgeon submitted it -- but my insurer was totally ready to approve, and to work with me.

At some point, the nurse/coordinator made it clear to me that she didn't think I could do all the things in a timely manner and that's why she hadn't been pushing it. She thought I still had to do the EKG, etc -- and I had done all of that. So, even after I got my insurance approval, she was like, "Oh, well, but it will still be two weeks or more to get the rest ready." I had to point out that I had already DONE all those things in the first week of August, just to be ready to go.

I'm glad I pushed, and it looks like I won't have to miss more than 1 or 2 classes total -- but I am a little irritated at the surgeon's office's handling of it. However, I am VERY happy with my surgeon, the care I've gotten, all that.

[Nikki Monroe 71]

I feel ya. I did my last pre-auth hurdle on July 31, but it took them 3 weeks to actually submit the pre-auth claim. I kept being told " We are submitting it today!" and then they didn't -- over and over. What finally got them moving was that I went up the food chain and talked to the insurance management folks who tell the surgery scheduling people that insurance is approved. I explained to them why I was trying to get sleeved before the end of August (doing it before school) and they lit a fire under everyone. In the meantime, I made sure I had done EVERY OTHER thing they asked or were going to ask for, so there wouldn't be any other delays.

. Yes, EXACTLY!! I am in school as well and wanted to be sleeved the beginning of the school year versus the middle or the end. It seems like as of now, they are waiting on the surgeon to do his part before they can submit to my insurance. How were you able to get the insurance approved before they submitted to the insurance company? I have united healthcare.

The insurance company kept telling me that they would approve in 5 days -- that's their policy now -- and that they could work on my timeline if only the surgeon's office would get the pre-auth request filed. The surgeon's office was *sure* it would take 30 days to get approval and would not believe me. Also, my insurer changed their requirements in July -- they went from a long list of requirements and a 6 month supervised diet to basically a statement that they trust the surgeon's judgement. My doctor's office didn't believe that. So, I didn't get the insurance approved before the surgeon submitted it -- but my insurer was totally ready to approve, and to work with me.

At some point, the nurse/coordinator made it clear to me that she didn't think I could do all the things in a timely manner and that's why she hadn't been pushing it. She thought I still had to do the EKG, etc -- and I had done all of that. So, even after I got my insurance approval, she was like, "Oh, well, but it will still be two weeks or more to get the rest ready." I had to point out that I had already DONE all those things in the first week of August, just to be ready to go.

I'm glad I pushed, and it looks like I won't have to miss more than 1 or 2 classes total -- but I am a little irritated at the surgeon's office's handling of it. However, I am VERY happy with my surgeon, the care I've gotten, all that.

I just got a call from my surgeons office saying that the surgeon FINALLY gave his piece and that it SHOULD be submitted today or Tuesday....we shall see. For now, I'm really trying not to stress over it because it pisses me off! We will see what happens over the next 2 weeks.